You were over the moon that Max was awake, you couldn't even put into words how relieved you were but considering another earthquake - Hawkins breaking away, happened seconds before that phone call.. you had a sinking pit in your stomach.
As much as you didn't want to think about it or admit it, it had to be connected. But why? How?
The phone rang again seconds later as the four of you were preparing to go and see Max at the hospital.
"False alarm," Steve scratched his forehead in confusion after hanging up the phone "How could it be a false alarm?" You were annoyed, angry "Lucas said he swore she woke up for an hour, but she slipped back into the coma." Steve's eyes searched for answers.
"What does this mean? I mean, the earthquake or whatever it actually is happens and she wakes up just to go back into a coma?" Your brows are knitted, shaking your head.
"Maybe Max is connected to it or Something," Eddie adds with a small shrug. All of us merely guessing what was going on but having no fucking idea.
"While you guys talk about that, I'm going to go check on Robin." You pick up your car keys off the hook in the hall "I'll be back in like - ten minutes," you pause "Eddie did you want to come or stay here?" You give him the option, leaving it in his hands.
"Probably easier if I stay," he bites on his lower lip. "Yeah, yeah that's fine." Steve nods, seemingly in a rush or in a panic.
You open the door with out thought, eyes widening at the red sky above as lightning flickers through out the clouds and a low thunder rumbles through out Hawkins "Uh... guys." You say, stunned.
Jumping nearly ten feet as Robin grabs onto your arms, out of breath "A little warning next time," you say incredulously "Sorry," she pants "I was just on my way to you.." you start, eyes still glued on the sky.
"Yeah well, considering THAT - I ran my ass here." She points to the sky as Dustin, Eddie and Steve exit the front door, all your eyes looking up at the familiar sky above.
"Oh fuck," Eddie mutters "Now that.. that can't be good." Dustin waves a finger.
"So what, it's seeping into our world?" Eddie asks as you all crowd around seated at the dining table "If it is; we have no way of stopping it." Steve says slowly "All the gates are closed. There's no way in, whatever is going on... it's not going to be a fight in the upside down, it's going to be a fight in Hawkins - our Hawkins." Dustin's words are rushed.
"That's great, yeah. Another fight, just what we need." You say sarcastically and filled with rage.
Sitting on the edge of your bed in the guest room with your head buried in your hands, you hear Eddie's crutches against the carpeted floor. "Hey babe," your voice is muffled, sliding your hands off your face as you watch Eddie sit down beside you.
"Are you okay?" He asks, leaning his crutches against the wall and pulling himself back wards on the bed. "Dumb question, " he laughs to himself "I just want it to be over, I want normal," you chuckle in disbelief that normal is what you crave right now.
The two of you got ready for bed which was incredibly different from all the nights you had spent together prior, now Eddie wouldn't let you see him change which meant him struggling on his own to get his clothes on and off, plus he had a multitude of pills to take, some bandages to change still.. you felt shut out.
You understood he went through and was going through a lot but in life and death doesn't just mean when healthy.
You wanted to be able to help him with everything but he was putting on a brave face and acting like he had it all under control and he still didn't want you to see the damage the bats did.
It's not like it would change how you feel, how attracted you are to him.. you'd feel guilty yes but once again you were going to feel guilty forever. It was always going to be there, like static in your brain.
You let Eddie get in the queen sized bed first so he can adjust and get comfortable, you decided to sleep on the side where his leg wasn't in a cast.
You prop your self up against the headboard, not exactly tired yet and not entirely sure how to sleep beside Eddie right now. He did still have stitches and was still recovering so you couldn't cuddle up into him, you also had to be very careful and aware when asleep.
Which wouldn't be too hard as you don't move that much when sleeping but still, the worry of hurting him was sitting there in the back of your mind.
"What if we leave?" Eddie's quiet voice breaks the silence as you look over at him "What do you mean?" You ask, pulling the blanket it up so it covers the both of you "Get out of Hawkins.. leave." He doesn't put it in many words,
"Are friends are here," you argue "Yeah but for how long?" He poses a very legitimate question as e shifts his weight in bed. "And what, we just let Hawkins become the other world and then take over every other town and city following it?"
There really was no winning in this situation "We can stay here and wait, with nothing here for us or we can leave and when the time comes.. fight.. whatever it is." Eddie gestures outwards, one of the issues being that we don't know what this is.
It could be Vecna, it could be the mind flayer or it could be something we don't even know exists yet. There wasn't a plan we could put in action, he was right. We were sitting ducks.
"My uncles been wanting to move farther away anyways, since.. everything." Eddie's tone got quieter, you glance over at him as he's zoned out in thought.
"Can we at least graduate first?" You give a hopeful laugh, Eddie shoots you a look "Oh we are going and owning graduation," He adds quickly "I waited for that moment for years, I'm not missing it." He chuckles.
The two of you decided to go to sleep, even if you weren't to fall asleep.. just being beside Eddie after being apart for so long and all you'd both been through, well it was something you could spend every second doing.
Just being in his presence, hearing him breathe, feeling his thumb make small circles on your hand.. it slowly took a weight off your shoulders. It made you feel at home, safe.
That comfort soon turned into terror, being awoken to the sound of Eddie screaming bloody murder and thrashing in the bed "No, NO! GET OFF ME!" He screams, fighting an imaginary object in the real world but in dream world fighting a very real thing.
"Eddie, Eddie.." you gently shake his arm, watching him shoot up in bed with eyes wide open. Eddie was panting, his body trembling and dripping with sweat "I don't wanna die. I don't wanna die." He repeated, crying into his hands
"Hey, hey. You're safe, it's okay.." you whisper to him, the real world coming back to him as he slowly looks back at you "oh thank god," he mutters. Pulling you into him, this being the first real hug the two of you had where neither of you were worried about hurting him.
"It's okay," you try to sooth him, playing with his hair which is drenched in sweat. Feeling his body tremble against yours as he tries to catch his breath, "Im sorry," he manages out weakly,
"Don't be," you say quietly, you were expecting there to be lots of things to get use to, new normals and all but you never really thought of the possibility that Eddie might have post traumatic stress disorder. More guilt hits you like a ton of bricks.
You wish you could take it all away, all the memories of the other world, all the pain.. everything. He didn't deserve this. He shouldn't have to go through this. He shouldn't have to be reminded while asleep or awake.
All of you were trying to deal with it on your own way and while each of you were effected to some degree or another, besides Max.. Eddie really got the worst of it.
He watched Chrissy die, he got blamed for murder, he spent multiple days on the run. He watched you almost get killed by Vecna, he traveled into this alternate Hawkins which a week prior to doing so, he didn't even know existed.
He nearly died three times there only to come back and be arrested, stuck in the hospital for three weeks.
And that was all really just in the span of a month. From Chrissy dying to Eddie being in the hospital was just five days. That's a lot for five days. It's a lot for even just a year.
Now he was out and expected to readjust to the world easily, you were beginning to shift those expectations.
In that moment you also knew that.. both you and Eddie had to leave. That staying in Hawkins was going to do way more damage to him than good and there was no way in hell you weren't going with him. Leaving was his only chance of being free, really free.
So, the two of you graduated. Class of 86. Many students, parents and teachers weren't thrilled to have Eddie at graduation but he couldn't care less. That was his moment.
So much so, he blared we're not going to take it by twisted sister over the schools intercom. You weren't going to ruin his fun, you were so proud of him and getting to graduate with him... you weren't sure if that was going to happen. He also promptly burned the graduation gown and cap everywhere, a statement to society he said.
Not long after, you moved with Eddie and his uncle Wayne to a trailer park a few towns over. About two hours away from Hawkins. It's not like you were incredibly far.. but far enough.
You felt bad about leaving the hideout high and dry but after the second earthquake, they were near closing too. You started working at another little audio store, bringing in some cash for Eddie's uncle and also saving up.
After that you were able to get a job in event planning, more specifically venues, concerts, booking bands.. that sort of thing and it brought in pretty good money and you got to book Eddie and his band whenever you could.
Yes, His band mates did survive and their families high tailed it out of Hawkins after the first earth quake, smart move. So now Eddie got to travel around with his band, with you and earn an income that way. You also got free tickets to shows super often which was amazing.
Steve, Robins and Dustin's families followed not too far behind, leaving Hawkins and the state it was in. They were all with in a 10 minute to an hour drive, Dustin living in the same town as Eddie and you.. which was great for Eddie and he got to play D until his heart was content. Robin living the furthest away and Steve in the middle.
After having worked the new job and Eddie with his band and side jobs, the both of you were able to save up for a house. It was a fixer upper, so nothing fancy by any means. It wasn't big, just a small two bedroom but it was something.
You both insisted to Wayne that he move in too but he rejected the idea, saying it was time for you and Eddie to start your own lives and that he would manage. Eddie and you still see him almost daily.
The wedding.. well that has yet to come or go. The two of you still very much engaged. That was enough, really. Neither of you wanted to rush anything, you both wanted to get your feet in the ground first. You were practically married anyways.
Life does go on, but it's never the same. There's still trauma, there's still worry and fear. There is still guilt.
You lay down beside Eddie in bed, your fingers tracing the jagged scars that fun from his left hip to left shoulder. Eddie now called them his metal scars, usually blaming it on going too hard at a concert. You weren't sure if anyone truly believed it.
"I love you," he murmurs down to you as the two if you lay in the bed with in your own room, your own home. "I love you," you smile to yourself.. reaching up for his lips. "You know, I think we are going to be okay," he says in thought as his fingers intertwine with yours,
"I hope so," you let out a laugh, your lips dragging across his chest as your head lay on his arm "mm, what I'd do to stay in bed with you forever." Eddie grins,
"You have," you remind him, the first year of living together being spent in bed nearly the entire time. "Good point," he yawns loudly. The two of you drifting off to sleep.
Being awoken by another one of Eddie's nightmares, they aren't often anymore. Maybe once every other month. This didn't seem like a nightmare though, his voice didn't sound like Eddie's but it did sound familiar.
Eddie breathes heavily, body twitching as he sleeps.. what he's saying is so quiet you have to put your ear near his lips
"Kas.." his voice is deeper than usual,
"Kas..." the word is more drawn out now
"Kas.." the voice is taking a disgruntled, deep raspy form.
"Kas.." it whispers, sending chills through your entire body. Vecna.
Eddie gets louder, repeating the same name over and over as you begin to hear the distorted sounds of a broken grandfather clock in the distance.
"It's time, Kas,"
Writers note: End of book one.